Process
We love making bikes from scratch. Selecting tubes and parts like a sommelier would do for a pairing bring us joy that all artisans feel at some point.
To see the frame take shape slowly after each step is truly magical. We end up knowing every square centimetre of it and we're always thrilled to create such an elegant yet utilitarian object.
To work out sizing, we take key measurements of your body and any current bikes via an online form, or from a professional fitting you may have had, then make our recommendations.
For customers with fit requirements we customise our frame designs as you require. You can also visit us for a personal fitting.
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Our frame designs typically utilise a mixture of tubes selected specifically for the ride characteristics and aspect of a specific frame.
Tubes vary in specification between frame sizes to maintain the ride characteristics across different sized riders.
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Components and accessories have been chosen from our extensive experience of what works well for our designs and provides the best value against quality.
Again, as everything is bespoke and built to order, other components and accessories can be specified to create your perfect build – along with custom paint schemes and graphics.
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Accurate measurement and mitering of tubes is vital to achieving perfectly aligned frames with minimal distortion during the welding process.
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After measurement and cutting on dedicated jigs and fixtures, tubes are then precisely mitred and/or drilled for dropouts and bosses as required.
Once a tubeset has been mitered it is placed in a customer bundle ready for welding. To ensure everything is correct, the tubeset is then fitted up in the frame jig to check for inaccuracies that might lead to distortion during welding.
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With the frame taking shape, it’s removed from the jig and checked for alignment before being moved to a specific stand for welding. The main joints are then TIG welded or brazed.
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TIG welding is a fast, high temperature, welding process using an electric arc to melt the parent metals while adding a filler rod to complete the joint. It produces a neat stack of weld ‘beads’ round the tube junctions.
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Fillet brazing uses an oxy/fuel torch and brass-or silver- filler material that requires filing afterwards to create an aesthetically beautiful smooth joint.
Lugs require also an oxy/fuel torch and silver filler material that requires mostly sanding and filing afterwards to create an aesthetically beautiful smooth lug joint.
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After welding, the frame is checked again for alignment.
Braze-ons for bottle bosses and cable guides are then added.
Any brazed joints such as dropouts, bridges and fork disk mounts are filed and shaped to achieve a perfect finish prior to paint.
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Reaming and facing of head tube and bottom bracket shell is also carried out at this stage.
We take pride in facilitating the whole fabrication process and this also extends to paint.
Our paint process starts with mechanically cleaning bare frames with aluminium oxide blast media, effectively removing any contaminants and provide a suitable base for painting.
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Powder coat is then applied, or primer if "wet paint" is chosen instead.
Wet paint or spray paint starts with the primer that is applied and flattened down prior to a colour base coat. Then the first two coats of lacquer before graphics are applied at this stage (in paint using careful masking – there are no stickers anywhere on a Spleen) and then coated with the final three coats of clear (gloss or matte) lacquer.
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After curing, the frame is then polished. Internally your frame is coated with J.P. Weigle Frame Saver Rust Protection solution to prevent oxidization. All threads and faces are then tapped and faced prior to component assembly.
